Interlude
by dragonlots
Summary: Buffy and Dracula the Series crossover. Buffy goes after Dracula despite a warning from Van Helsing.


No way to I own Buffy or Dracula the Series. This is fanfic for fun.

This is an older story I found. I did some editing and changes. Enjoy

Interlude

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Icy fingers clawed through ancient crumbling tombstones. Leaves shivered at its touched and tall grasses shuddered around long forgotten mounds. Buffy paused, pulling her wool coat tighter around her against the deepening chill. Her destination was the mausoleum just over the next rise. She trudged on, her hiking boots making the journey easier to traverse the slippery vegetation and mud, complements of an earlier Austrian rainstorm.

The howl of a lone wolf brought her steady progress to a halt, the dying words of Gustaf Van Helsing echoing in her mind. "Don't go after Dracula alone!" She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Helsing had been a Hunter. Careless and relentless in his hunt for the very old vampire, his desire for revenge finally getting him killed.

Buffy, on the other hand, was the Slayer. Stronger than mortals, well trained by Giles, her main researcher and teacher, already a veteran of destruction in the vampire world. Hadn't she defeated the master demon vampire lord and kept the terrible darkness from descending on the world? Of course she had. And in comparison, she doubted Dracula would be much of challenge despite his vaulted reputation.

She glanced briefly at the overhead moon, glowing eerily in the midnight sky. Maybe it was a mistake to stalk this vampire at the peak time of his power, but she wanted him to know he could be destroyed despite that. And she wanted him to know by whom. A sixteen year old girl who wanted justice for the death of an old man. She owed Van Helsing that. And his son Dracula had taken for one of his own,

whom she had dispatched earlier that evening.

Straightening her shoulders she marched down the brightly lit hill. She had her weapons stashed in every pocket. Stakes, holy water, the cross she wore around her neck. Buffy was ready. She yanked the ornate metal door open and entered the damp, musty tomb.

Dracula was waiting for her. He was casually standing near the far wall. His blonde hair shimmered in the moonlight and his blue, or were they brown?, eyes danced with merriment. He was fashionable dressed, not surprising considering his vast business empire, Lucard Enterprises, and a black cloak lined with scarlet, (how cliché Buffy thought) draped elegantly about his shoulders.

"Good evening, my dear," he addressed her. His accented voice warm and charming, as if he were greeting her at a diplomatic reception.

"You know why I'm here," she answered. She steadied her grip on the stake hidden in her coat pocket. All she needed was one opening.

He took a step toward her, seeming surprised when she didn't retreat. "You have courage." He smiled. "I like that."

"You killed Gustaf Van Helsing."

He shrugged. "He's been a nuisance for a very long time. I was simply ridding myself of a pest."

"He was a living, breathing human being." She was beginning to get angry. She couldn't afford to. It could cloud her judgment and get her killed.

"And I'm not?" His tone mocking and his eyes began to glow. The wind dashed in, whipping his cloak about him, making him seem more powerful than she knew he was.

"You know what you are," she replied.

"Indeed." His reddened eyes raked her.

Buffy felt violated. Her slim, well proportioned body shuddered. She doubted he would consider her attractive in the jeans and sweatshirt she wore, or the oversized tan coat. She had her long blondish brown hair tucked under a warm hat. Only her brown eyes showed in a face considered pretty by most. She knew she wasn't invincible, having died once by the hands of the master vampire and resurrected by a good friend, but she didn't need to let this pompous jerk know that.

She glared back at him. He laughed. The sound danced off the decaying grey walls.

"Oh, my dear, you have no idea how beautiful you really are." He took another step. "Wouldn't you want to preserve your beauty. Be Forever young."

"I'd rather die first."

"That could be arranged." His voice was low and dangerous.

"Oh? You intend to talk me to death?" Buffy was growing tired of this useless banter. Dracula was arrogant and over confident. Maybe she could use that.

"You can't win. Poor old Gustaf Van Helsing learned that."

"He was an old man. I'm not."

His smile became predatory. "No. You're not. I should imagine your blood is hot and sweet." He moved closer. "I'll soon know."

"Over my dead body." Not original, but it fit this instance, Buffy decided.

"If you insist."

She was ready when he sprang. She flipped the stake up as his body impacted hers and fell with the now rotting corpse to dirt floor. She pushed it off her and rolled free. The wind tugged at the cloak pulling it free as the body disintegrated into dust and flatting the fluttering fabric against the far wall.

Buffy smiled in triumphant. Dracula wasn't the first vampire to misjudge her, thinking her young age a disadvantage. She got to her feet slicing her finger on a rock.

"Ouch." She shook her it slightly and then stuck it in her mouth. Yech! She hated the taste of blood. She pulled it free and noted it had stopped bleeding.

As she turned to leave, she was suddenly grabbed from behind.

"Leaving so soon, my dear, " Dracula's voice mocked in her ear.

It wasn't possible, she had just killed him!

"A little known fact," he droned on as if giving a lecture. "Fresh human blood on the ashes of a vampire will bring them back."

He yanked the hat from her head loosening her hair. "So pretty." He ran his hand through it.

She shifted her balance, intending to toss him over her shoulder.

"I think not." He dropped to the ground, taking her with him.

She tried to jab him with her elbow. It usually worked. But he rolled them both onto their stomachs, pinning her thrashing limbs with his.

"You shouldn't struggle so."

She felt his lips graze the back of her neck.

"A pity you're not older. You would have made an excellent addition to my stable."

She didn't like the sound of that. She struggled against him even harder.

"I can wait until you tire. Sunlight has little effect on me."

Damn! The one advantage she didn't expect. She felt a lump in her throat. She was not going to cry!

He loosed one his hands beginning to stroke the side of her face. She tried to hit him, only to have her hand captured by his other. He held her in a backwards bear hug.

"I have centuries of experience dealing with hunters and slayers."

"What are you going to do with me?" Buffy actually felt the question was rhetorical. Anything to keep him talking and his fangs out of her throat.

His fingers rested lightly against her pulse point. "You'd make an exquisite zombie," he mused.

Fate worse than death. To be a slave of this creature!

"Or I could kill you."

"Just get on with it!" Buffy raged. She didn't want to die, but she didn't like be tortured this way either. The not knowing was worse than just dying.

"Of course," his voice was soft and just above her ear. "It could be amusing to make you a vampire. You're strong. Willful. Just the type of person I need in my conquering army."

"What?"

"I believe in the subtle approach to world domination." He laughed quietly. "Do you play chess, my dear?"

"No."

"Pity. It would help you understand how I'll succeed."

Well, she understood the principle. Place the pieces and move when ready. Clever.

" I won't help you."

"You will. No one moves against their master. They only obey."

His cold lips touched her throat.

Buffy tensed, expecting to feel the rip of flesh. It never happened. An angry roar filled the place and she heard Dracula's snarling answer. She was pushed down hard as he rose to confront the invader.

"Let her go!" She recognized Angel's voice.

She got shakily to her feet.

"She's mine!" Dracula retorted.

"Buffy, get out of here!" Angel yelled. His normally attractive face contorted into his demon vampire mask.

Dracula grabbed for her just as she darted out the open doorway and into the freedom of the night. She could hear the two fighting, but kept running. She didn't stop until she reached the cemetery gate.

She had to rest. She was shaking from fear and exhaustion. She checked for signs of chase, a figure in the air, a bat, a form among the stones. Nothing moved. She briefly debated waiting for Angel. No. It wouldn't be a good idea.

Buffy glanced around again and started the walk back to town. If what Dracula told her was true, she would have years of work ahead of her. She had to find all of his pawns and stake them. Maybe then, she'd try for Dracula again. At least she knew Van Helsing had been right. She should never have gone after him alone.

A figure landed in front of her. She grabbed a stake from her pocket.

"Hey. Its me," Angel called.

Buffy relaxed. "Angel."

He smiled at her, his face as gorgeous as ever. He ran a hand through his raven hair and his jet black eyes sparkled. "Dracula admitted defeat. For now. I believe he's on his way back home."

"Doesn't matter." She took Angel's arm and they continued on down the dark road. "I know what's he's

planning. That's the most important part." She shook her head. "I won't underestimate him again."

Angel freed his arm and hugged her to him. "Promise me, next time, you won't go alone."

"I won't." She smiled up at him. "Thanks."

He kissed her.

Okay. It was awkward for a slayer to be in love with a vampire and be loved in return, Buffy decided. But it was also convenient. Angel had just saved her life. She wouldn't forget that.

"What are you going to tell your mother?" Angel teased releasing her.

"Nothing. I'll just sneak back in like I snuck out. I do it all the time." Buffy laughed, delighted to feel young and alive. "We'll continue our European vacation and I'll snuff out vampires as I go."

"My brave Slayer," Angel murmured, admiring her.

"My her,." She returned, regaining his arms and kissing him.

Dawn was only a few minutes away and he would have to flee. She'd return to her mom and her life would go on. But she wouldn't forget her interlude with Dracula. There would be a reckoning sometime in the future. She'd be prepared then. And would successfully defeat him.

After all, she was the Slayer.


End file.
